Forbidden Love
by garasu no tenshi
Summary: Ordinary girl Sakura and Popular Guy Syaoran met during a car accident. But when they started seeing each other, their parents forbade them to continue because of the accident! Please R&R!
1. Chance Encounter

Disclaimer: Don't own them. These wonderful characters belong to CLAMP. . . definitely not mine.  
  
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Warnings: Alternate Universe. No Clow cards, no magic, different lifestyle of the characters. . . yada yada. SakuraXSyaoran, EriolXTomoyo. . . a fusion with another story. . .  
  
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Feedbacks: ONEGAI!!!! Please review!! I wish to hear all your comments!!!  
  
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FORBIDDEN LOVE  
  
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Chapter One: Chance Encounter  
  
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"I still can't believe your dad let you take the car today." Tomoyo Daidouji said as she gaze out the window at Hanover High's red brick façade, which was coming into view.  
  
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Sakura Kinomoto smiled at her best friend's remark. Tomoyo knew just how hard Sakura had had to fight her father's trust since she had gotten her license. It was Sakura's first solo flight, and she was both thrilled and nervous.  
  
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As she stopped at the crosswalk to let a jostling stream of students cross the street, Sakura sighed. "Perils of the profession, I guess. Insurance agents can't help but be nervous about their own kids driving."  
  
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Tomoyo laughed, her sparkling blue eyes crinkling up at the corners. "My father is so glad to be rid of one of us, if only for a few hours, that he practically throws the car keys to my sister or me."  
  
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"Lucky you."  
  
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Because she was an only child, Sakura envied Tomoyo's home life -- which included three brothers and two sisters, a dog, two cats, and a talking minah bird named Kero. Everything was thrown together in a rambling, two- story Victorian house that Sakura described pleasant pandemonium.  
  
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Tomoyo's father owned a shoe store in downtown Clinton, which was a lucky thing, he always said, since he was trying to keep a family of centipedes in shoes. Tomoyo inherited her sense of humor and dark, bluish-black hair from him. She had acquired her warmth from her mother, who reminded Sakura of her own mom. Her mother had died five years before when Sakura was eleven. She still missed her a lot, although the pain wasn't so bad as it had been at first.  
  
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Every time Sakura caught herself wanting to trade places with Tomoyo, her friend would tell her how lucky she was to live in a quiet house and have her own room where she could do whatever she wanted, such as play her CD's without someone screaming to stop making a racket, or where she didn't have to worry about younger brothers and sisters needing their shoelaces tied or borrowing her best sweater and return it with jam smudged all over it.  
  
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No one ever screamed at Sakura. Her father wasn't the screaming type, though he would use a booming tone that left no doubt that he meant business. He was strict, too strict, Sakura thought, often treating her as if she was six instead of sixteen. Even though Sakura knew this was because her father cared about her and was concerned for her safety, it grated on her. She had read in a magazine once that overprotectiveness was synonymous with single parenthood.  
  
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As for brothers and sisters, Sakura would gladly have traded a sweater or two for the boisterous camaraderie that abounded in Tomoyo's home, even if the fireworks really got going there sometimes.  
  
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"What did you do to convince him, anyway?" Tomoyo asked as she peeled the foil wrapper from a stick of sugarless gum. "Wave a magic wand or something?"  
  
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"Well – it might have something to do with the suits he wanted me to pick up at the cleaners after school. Or" – her green eyes slanted in a mischievous sidelong glance – "It just might be the chocolate cake I made him in home ec the other day. Chocolate happens to be Dad's favorite."  
  
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Tomoyo groaned, looking down at her pleasant curves. "Please don't mention that word in my presence! I'm supposed to be on a diet, remember?"  
  
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Tomoyo was always on a diet – usually some crazy fad diet like starving herself on grapefruit and hard-boiled eggs for a whole week – but whatever she lost she usually gained right back. A confirmed 'yoyo', in Tomoyo's own words. Sakura refrained from saying anything. She thought her friend looked fine, but it was no use telling her. Anyway, Sakura knew it wasn't what other people thought about you, it was what you thought of yourself.  
  
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Sakura knew this because of her own uncertain feelings. She got good grades, she knew she had some talent as a singer, and her friends told her she was attractive. Alone in her room she would study herself; her reflection in the mirror showing a slender girl with shiny, shoulder-length chestnut hair and wide-set, emerald green eyes that needed only the tiniest bit of mascara to make them stand out. She didn't even mind, really, that her nose was a little on the small side or that one front tooth turned in very slightly. Yet even when she added up her assets, Sakura still felt insecure and awkward about herself. It wasn't that she wanted to be someone else, someone prettier or more popular or more talented – she just wished she could be more comfortable in her own skin.  
  
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And then there was the problem of her father. . .  
  
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"I promised up, down, and sideways that I'd be extra careful and wouldn't go over the speed limit," she said. "Even then he gave me a twenty-minute lecture about not following other cars too closely and not park in too- tight spots and not --"  
  
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"In other words," Tomoyo cut in, "no fun, right?"  
  
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"Oh, well," Sakura said, then sighed. "He is right, you know. It's dumb to take chances, and I do act without thinking sometimes. But still, I'm no speed demon. Dad knows that, or he wouldn't have given in, chocolate cake or no chocolate cake."  
  
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At the mention of chocolate cake again, Tomoyo hurriedly changed the subject. "Hey, did you see the notice on the bulletin board about the spring concert? Are you still thinking of transferring out of chorus into the a cappella choir?"  
  
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Sakura shrugged, her face growing warm. "I don't know. Ms. Mizuki wants me to, but I'm not sure I'm ready."  
  
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"Oh, c'mon, Sakura! It's fun there! If you transfer, then we'll be together!"  
  
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The a cappella choir was more of an elite club than a music class, although it was graded as one. Normally Sakura would have had to wait until her junior year to be eligible, but Ms. Mizuki felt she was ready and was willing to recommend the transfer. Sakura wasn't so sure. The kids in the a cappella choir were really good; in addition to the performances they gave at school, they have participated in several local concerts and had won awards at regional festivals. Sakura heard that one of the local TV station was going to televise their spring concert. . .  
  
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The mere thought of being on television was enough to start her stomach somersaulting.  
  
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Tomoyo reacted with indignation. "Are you kidding? You have a very lovely voice! You're just chicken to try out, aren't you?"  
  
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"Oh, Tomoyo," she said, moaning, "I want to be in the choir, but I just don't know if I can get up and sing in front of a bunch of people. What if I have a solo?!"  
  
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"Why don't you worry about that if it happens? Honestly, Sakura, you have to take some chances to get anywhere. You just don't believe in yourself enough. Look at you. You're pretty, smart, talented. . . and besides," she added, giving Sakura a sly glance, "maybe it would give you a chance to get to know Syaoran."  
  
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Why did Tomoyo have to bring him into it? Sakura wondered. As if she didn't have enough to worry about already! The thought of Li Syaoran, star tenor soloist of the a cappella choir, brought flames to her cheeks. Besides having a fantastic voice, he was one of the most popular – and the most gorgeous – boys in Hanover High.  
  
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Only Tomoyo knew about Sakura's secret crush on Syaoran. Sometimes, she was embarrassed even to have her best friend know. In addition to being a soloist in the choir, Syaoran, a natural athlete, was the star player in many school sports. Having a crush on Li Syaoran was a little like having a crush in a movie star. Half of the girls at Hanover had crushes on Syaoran, and most of them had about as much chance of getting a date with him as they did with Keanu Reeves.  
  
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On the other hand, as Tomoyo was ready to point out, Syaoran was available, which only meant that although he had no shortage of dates, he wasn't going out with anyone in particular – he had broken up with Meilin Li, a distant cousin of his, the year before. But with all of Syaoran's activities, it didn't seem as if he had enough time for a steady girlfriend. Along with his many rehearsals in school, he was also taking voice lessons from a private tutor. . . a fact that says that pursuing his career is more important than his social life.  
  
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Sakura didn't know if she should be discouraged or not.  
  
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"If I decided to try out," she announced firmly, "it won't be because of Li Syaoran."  
  
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Tomoyo's pretty face dimpled at a smile as they headed through the gates of the parking lot. "Whatever you say, although. . ." Her voice trailed off as something in the distance caught her eye.  
  
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"Hey, Sakura," she said, "could you let me off here? I see somebody I have to talk to about a history assignment."  
  
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"That somebody wouldn't be Eriol Hiragizawa, would it?" Sakura asked teasingly. She would have known something was up even if Tomoyo hadn't told her. History, which had always been Tomoyo's worst subject, was suddenly all she could talk about.  
  
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Now it was Tomoyo's turn to blush, but her eyes sparkled merrily as she slid gracefully from the front seat of the car. "Who else? You didn't think I meant Abraham Lincoln, did you?"  
  
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Sakura watched with a smile, as Tomoyo bob off in the direction of a handsome, dark-haired boy near the front steps. Soon the two were talking excitedly. Sakura couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy as she drove off in search of a parking space. It was obvious Tomoyo had found someone special. 'When will it be my turn?' Sakura wondered, her chest tightening slightly.  
  
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She was so lost in her thoughts, she forgot to pay attention to where she was going and made a too-abrupt turn as she rounded a row of parked cars. A midnight black convertible was backing out in front of her, but it was too late to stop. In the horrifying split second that was left, Sakura slammed her foot against the brake, her heart lurching as her front bumper connected with the sports car's rear one in a sickening crunch.  
  
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A tall, brown-haired boy in a green sweatshirt catapulted from the tiny car and raced over to where she was sitting, her hands locked onto the steering wheel. She was unable to stop quivering. His face loomed in the open window, wearing an expression of tightly controlled anger that flipped to anxious concern when he saw how deathly pale she was.  
  
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"Are you all right?" he asked. She nodded, blinking back tears of shame as she watch his anger return. "Why didn't you honk or something? Damn, I didn't even see you!"  
  
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Sakura was trembling so hard she didn't trust herself to speak. The shock of recognizing who she had run into was almost worse than the moment of crash. It was unbelievable. The kind of awful coincidence that doesn't really happen in the life, only in bad movies.  
  
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Of all the people at Hanover High she could have bashed into, she had to pick Li Syaoran!  
  
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"I'm s-s-sorry," she stammered. "I guess I wasn't looking. It was all my fault." Tears spilled down her cheeks.  
  
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Syaoran softened slightly and reached out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. ""I'm sorry I yelled. It could have been worse, I guess. At least no one was hurt." Then he glanced over at his car and flinched. "It's just that I'd saved my summer money all year hoping for a car like this to come along. This is the first day I've taken it out. What rotten luck!"  
  
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Numbly, Sakura forced herself to climb out and inspect the damage. Her legs felt as if they might collapse at any moment. What steeled her was the thought that Syaoran might have to catch her if she fell. She had day- dreamed about him holding her in his arms – but not like that!  
  
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She groaned as she surveyed the extent of the damage. One of the convertible's taillights and one of her head-lights had been shattered, and part of the convertible's rear end was dented as well.  
  
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"My dad's going to have a fit!" she whined.  
  
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Well, that wasn't exactly true, she thought. He would be upset, but worse than that, he would be disappointed in her. That was the hard part. Just when she was on the verge of proving to him how grown-up and trustworthy she was, this had to happen!  
  
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Syaoran's thoughts echoed her own. "I know what you mean. My mom's not going to be exactly overjoyed, either. I wasn't supposed to be driving this until I got insurance. The trouble is I got this stupid ticket last year for running a stop sign. . . Hell, when she finds out about this, I'm dead!"  
  
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All that time Syaoran had been kneeling to get a closer look at the damage, but when he straightened up, Sakura saw that he was a couple of inches taller than she. It was the closest she had ever gotten to him, and she was surprised, for she always imagined he would tower over her. At that distance, she was uncomfortably aware of his handsome face, stunning amber eyes, and slightly messy dark-brown hair. Her heart galloped when she realized that he was staring at her, too.  
  
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For a brief instant Sakura forgot about the two cars welded together in front of them. All she could think about was the fact that she was actually standing there talking to Li Syaoran. She was glad she'd worn something nice – beige skirt and a new candy-pink blouse instead of her usual jeans and T-shirt. Her pulse thudded in her ears as one corner of his mouth lifted in a smile that was a Li Syaoran trademark.  
  
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"Now I know why you look so familiar," he said. "You were in the Christmas concert." That was when Ms. Mizuki's chorus classes had merged with the a cappella choir to perform the 'Christmas Star'. Sakura was surprised he remembered her.  
  
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"Right," she mumbled. The same voice that had soared in the Christmas Star was now sticking in her throat like a glob of peanut butter. She managed to add, "Your solos were great."  
  
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He looked surprised. "You thought so? I had the flu that night so I really felt I blew it. Do you ever feel like you want to take a big eraser and rub out a day in your life?"  
  
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In spite of her embarrassment, Sakura found herself laughing. "How about today?"  
  
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Syaoran joined in, momentarily dissolving the tension that had lain between them. How could he be so nice after what she had done? Sakura wondered. She found herself thinking that having a crush on someone wasn't the same as really knowing him. Before that day, she had admired Syaoran from a distance -- he might have been a statue she'd seen in the park and thought was beautiful. But now that she had actually met him and seen how nice he was, Sakura wished desperately for a chance to get to know him better – to see if the wild flutterings inside her could develop into something more.  
  
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She told that her father was an insurance agent and that she would explain the whole thing when she get home. She was sure the company would pay Syaoran's car.  
  
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Syaoran looked relieved. "That should smooth Mom over a little. After she gets through chewing me out, that is. You know how lawyers can be about sticking to the rules.  
  
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"Your mother is a lawyer?"  
  
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Syaoran grinned. "Yeah."  
  
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"That's really neat." Sakura was impressed.  
  
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"It is, but try living with one sometime. You never win an argument."  
  
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"What does your father do?"  
  
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Syaoran shrugged. "He's a lawyer, too, but they're divorced."  
  
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Sakura could have bitten off her tongue for being so nosy. She didn't even know why she'd asked – it just seemed like a natural question. She relaxed when she saw that Syaoran wasn't going to hold it against her.  
  
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"My mom and I live in the apartment building down the block from the courthouse," he volunteered. "It's convenient for her, and most of the time I have the place to myself, so it works out during rehearsals. Gives us a place to study our scores and sing where there's not a bunch of kid brothers and sisters getting in the way."  
  
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Sakura thought of Tomoyo's house – how full of life and fun it was, even if it got messy and the little kids were terrors sometimes.  
  
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"I don't know," she said. "I always thought it'd be nice to have a brother or sister. Being the only one gets sort of lonely."  
  
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Syaoran gave her a long, thoughtful look. His amber eyes were so intense, she thought. They were like lasers cutting into her innermost thoughts. She noticed how the sun brushed the ends of his brown hair, turning them a lighter shade.  
  
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"I guess I know what you mean." Syaoran admitted slowly, as if it were the first time he'd done so.  
  
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They were interrupted by the sound of the bell in the distance, reminding them they had only five minutes to get to their first-period classes. Sakura was still a little shaky about driving, so Syaoran offered to park the car for her. Afterward she told him she would call him when she had spoken with her father.  
  
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Syaoran fished an old piece of paper from his wallet and scribbled something on it. "Here's my number," he said, handing it to her.  
  
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"Thanks." Sakura stuffed it into her book bag, knowing she would treasure that dumb piece of paper forever, no matter how this whole thing turned out. "Well. . . see ya."  
  
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She was half-way across the parking lot when Syaoran yelled after her, "Hey! What's your name – I forgot to ask!"  
  
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"Sakura!" she yelled back, her voice rising. "Sakura Kinomoto!"  
  
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His eyes, even from that distance, sent goose bumps up her back. "I'll remember that," he said, grinning.  
  
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A fragile bubble of hope rose in her. I'll remember that. . . it shimmered brightly for a minute before it abruptly exploded. Of course he would remember her! After she had practically wiped him out, how could he possibly forget her?  
  
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TBC. . .  
  
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Soooo. . . should I continue this?  
  
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REVIEW PLEASE!!! All your reviews will be greatly appreciated and very welcome!!!  
  
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	2. The Chinese Elm Tree

Disclaimer: The characters of Card Captor Sakura are not mine. They belong to CLAMP. I'm just using them for some fun. Please don't sue me!  
  
Warnings: AU. No Clow Cards, no magic, different lifestyles and behaviors of characters. SxS, ExT, a fusion with a story I read years ago.  
  
Feedbacks: PLEASE!! I want to hear from all the readers!!! In doing so, you'll be able to help me!! *winkwink* The more reviews, the better!  
  
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FORBIDDEN LOVE  
  
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Chapter Two: The Chinese Elm Tree  
  
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Mr. Terada had his back to the class as he diagramed a sentence on the blackboard. The chalk made loud, clicking noises as his arm swept up and down in broad, energetic strokes. Tomoyo leaned across her desk and hissed to get Sakura's attention.  
  
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"What happened out in the parking lot?" she whispered, her eyes the size of Frisbees. "Chiharu told me you had some kind of accident!"  
  
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Sakura rolled her eyes. "You're never going to believe it. Compared to this, The Princess Bride was nothing." Mr. Terada's elbow suddenly stopped moving, and Sakura added hurriedly, "I'll fill you in after class."  
  
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Mr. Terada turned around and fixed Sakura with a long stare. He was tall and strict-looking, and sometimes brusque. But beneath all that, Sakura knew he was kindhearted. She couldn't forget how nice Mr. Terada had been to her the time she had accidentally copied down the wrong homework assignment. The teacher had let her do the paper all over again without marking her down a grade for being late.  
  
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"Sakura." His deep voice boomed over the classroom. "Can you tell us what the possessive and its object are in this sentence?"  
  
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Sakura stared at the blackboard, trying to focus her attention on the sentence written there. Mr. Terada always used famous quotes for his diagramming. This time, he'd picked a romantic quote by Thomas More.  
  
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~ But there's nothing half so sweet  
as love's young dream. ~  
  
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She automatically thought of Syaoran and blushed. "Uh---is it 'love's dream'?"  
  
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"Very good, Sakura." A reluctant smile tugged at the corners of Mr. Terada's mouth. "I suppose that just goes to show that half a student's attention is better than none."  
  
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The class greeted this unexpected show of humor with a ripple of laughter. Tomoyo shot Sakura a sympathetic look.  
  
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When the bell rang, they rushed out into the corridor together, Sakura neatly sidestepping a wadded-up test paper buffeted about among the stampeding feet.  
  
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"That was really cool the way you answered that question in class," Tomoyo said. "I would've gotten it wrong, even if I had known the answer, with those laser-like eyes of his boring into me."  
  
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"Yeah, that's me---Serene Sakura." Sakura gave a dry laugh. "On second thought, better make that Klutzy Sakura. I'm sure that's how Syaoran thinks of me."  
  
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"SYAORAN?!" screamed Tomoyo. "You don't mean THE Syaoran? Li Syaoran? He's the one you ran into? Boy, talk about fate!"  
  
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"Bad luck, you mean," said Sakura, pouring out the whole story as they made their way toward the lockers. "What gets me is how nice he was about it. I mean there I was crying on his shoulder after I'd wrecked his car---and he was consoling me."  
  
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"Would you have felt better if it was all his fault?" Tomoyo asked.  
  
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"At least, I wouldn't feel so dumb."  
  
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"Look at it this way." Tomoyo gave up fiddling with her combination lock and started banging against the locker with the heel of her hand, hoping that that might loosen it up. She was always reversing the numbers on her combination lock. "At least, Syaoran knows who you are now. Isn't that better than not being noticed at all?"  
  
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"I'm not sure. A person could get noticed for a lot of things---for all the wrong reasons," she pointed out, "and then not be liked. Take Maryjane Watkins, for instance. She's well known by everyone who's been in PE with her---only she gained her reputation by making goals for the wrong side in soccer and hitting tennis balls over the backboard. Sometimes it's better not to be noticed."  
  
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"Just don't jump to any conclusions, ok?" warned Tomoyo, wrenching her locker open at last and causing a loud bang as the door swung against its neighbor.  
  
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"Actually," Sakura confessed, "I'm more worried about my father right now than Syaoran."  
  
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"Uh-oh, I forgot about him."  
  
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Sakura shoved a pile of books inside her locker and slammed it shut. "I just wish there was some way I could forget."  
  
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Tomoyo giggled. "I just thought of something---you know, about you having sort of a crush on Syaoran. Well, I guess this makes it official. Get it--- CRUSH?"  
  
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"Oh, Tomoyo, that's awful!" Sakura cried, giving her a slight punch in the arm, but at least Tomoyo had gotten her to laugh.  
  
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0 ~ 0 ~ 0  
  
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At noon they ate lunch in the cafeteria with their other friends, Chiharu, Rika and Naoko, who were as different from each other as morning, afternoon and night. While Chiharu was full of cheer, Rika was the outgoing one, and Naoko was forever struggling to overcome her shyness.  
  
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"I think I would have just rolled up into a little ball and died on the spot if it'd been me," commented Naoko as she peeled Saran Wrap from her sandwich.  
  
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"I can just see you---rolling across the parking lot with Syaoran in hot pursuit," Chiharu said, which made them all laugh.  
  
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"Wow!" Rika exclaimed. "Eddie Talbot's got a mouth the size of the Grand Canyon. The whole school must know by now."  
  
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"Oh, that's just great." Sakura could feel the milk she'd just drink begin to curdle in her stomach. "Just what I need---a reputation as a hot-rodder. As if I won't have enough problems when my dad finds out."  
  
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"Don't worry, Sakura," reassured Tomoyo, winking mischievously. "We'll stick up for you. If anyone calls you a hot-rodder, we'll tell them what a tortoise you really are."  
  
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"Thanks a lot," Sakura mumbled, her mouth full of sandwich.  
  
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"Hey, who wants to go to the noon movie?" asked Naoko. "They're showing the end of 'Friday The Thirteenth, Part Two'."  
  
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Chiharu made a face. "I'm not sure my stomach can handle it so soon after lunch."  
  
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Tomoyo smiled. "I'll go!"  
  
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"Sorry, guys, I can't," put in Rika. "My part of the choir got practice." She pouted at Tomoyo's direction. "You're lucky today is not your practice day."  
  
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Tomoyo and Rika were both with the a cappella choir, with Tomoyo singing soprano and Rika singing alto. Rika, like Tomoyo, had been pressuring Sakura to join ever since she had heard that Ms. Mizuki wanted to transfer her. She insisted it was no different from what she was already doing in chorus, but Sakura knew better. The chorus sang in front of an audience, just twice a year, and this didn't frighten her because she could think of herself as only being part of one large voice. The a cappella choir, however, was much smaller, there were many solos, and the group performed frequently.  
  
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It was easy for Rika and Tomoyo to say that the a cappella choir was no different from the chorus. With their talents and outgoing personalities, they were natural performers.  
  
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"Mr. Reed is looking for another soprano, by the way," Tomoyo said nonchalantly. "The soprano section has been short ever since Laura Fineman got mono."  
  
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Sakura laughed. "I get the hint. Maybe if I get mono, too, you'll stop bugging me."  
  
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Chiharu rolled her eyes. "We give up on you, Kinomoto. You're absolutely hopeless."  
  
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"You've got to think BIG!" chided Naoko.  
  
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"I agree, and I'm an expert," Tomoyo said, grinning. "Only problem is I've always thought too big." She placed her hands over her perfectly fine stomach for emphasis. "I've got to think a little smaller."  
  
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"Gee, Tomoyo, how small can you still get?" Rika moaned.  
  
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"I haven't noticed Eriol complaining," Sakura observed.  
  
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Tomoyo responded by blushing and snatching up her books and purse. "Come on, if you don't stop jabbering, we're going to be late."  
  
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0 ~ 0 ~ 0  
  
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The multi-use room, where noon movies were shown on Thursdays and Fridays, was a short distance downhill from the main school building. Sakura, Tomoyo and Naoko strolled along a path lined with decades-old acacia trees, whose branches, laden with yellow blossoms, formed a thick canopy overhead. It was a warm, humid day, drowsy with the scent of newly cut grass and the droning of bees. A lot of people were sprawled on the lawn, soaking up the sunshine, and several skateboarders zigzagged lazily along the concrete walkways.  
  
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Inside the auditorium it was cool and dark. They found seats on the bleachers after they had paid their quarters---just in time to watch a counselor get torn apart by the dead monster. A bloodcurdling scream ripped through the room, followed by several loud groans from the audience.  
  
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Sakura whispered, "This part always gets me. The first time I saw it, it took me a month to agree to go back to my summer camp. And when I finally did go back, I refused to go outside alone, after dark, all summer."  
  
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Naoko giggled. "And you think I got hang-ups."  
  
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"Speaking of hang-ups," Tomoyo whispered, "look who just walked in."  
  
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Sakura looked down and immediately spotted Syaoran, with a group of friends, sliding into an empty space to rows below. Her pulse quickened, and there was a funny, thick feeling in her chest. From then on Sakura had difficulty concentrating on the movie. Her eyes kept wandering to the back of Syaoran's head, and Tomoyo had to elbow Sakura in the ribs every time something suspenseful happened.  
  
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Nevertheless, the accident in the parking lot embarrassed Sakura so that she didn't want Syaoran to see her. Just before the ending credits, she made an escape from the movie, mumbling some feeble excuse to Tomoyo and Naoko. But as she began groping her way down the bleachers, the lights popped on, and Sakura was suddenly caught up in a surge of bodies. She lost her balance, pitching forward into a solid wall of muscle. A groan escaped her as she looked up into a familiar face.  
  
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Syaoran's amber eyes sparkled with amusement. "Must be in the stars for us to keep bumping into each other. Either that or somebody's put out a contract on me, and you're the hit woman."  
  
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Sakura smiled self-consciously. "Do I look like a hit woman?"  
  
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"Hmmm." He gave her a long, appraising look. "Too pretty. I'd give you a mustache and thick ankles. Then---maybe."  
  
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"Would another dent in you car convince you I mean business?" Sakura was astonished at herself for joking about something that wasn't the least bit funny. That was one of the crazy things about her---whenever she was nervous or something awful happened, she usually ended up cracking a joke, then hating herself for it afterward.  
  
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But Syaoran didn't seem to mind. "I'll pass if you don't mind," he said. "How about a Coke instead?"  
  
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"Sure. I've got a few minutes before my next class." Sakura felt as if she were walking on air as she and Syaoran went outside and across the patio to where there was a row of vending machines.  
  
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Cokes in hand, they settled on a bench under the lazy umbrella of a Chinese elm. "Your friends Tomoyo and Rika tell me you're interested in joining the choir," he remarked.  
  
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'So Syaoran has been talking to Tomoyo and Rika about me!' Sakura was so nervous she could hardly hold on to her Coke can. "Ms. Mizuki wants me to try out, but---"She shrugged. "I don't know. Except for the chorus, I haven't done much singing in front of an audience. The time I was a singing reindeer in my fourth-grade Christmas play I almost threw up."  
  
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Syaoran laughed. "I'll bet you were terrific anyway."  
  
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"My parents gave me a standing ovation."  
  
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"There you go. And if you're as terrific as Tomoyo says you are, I'm sure Mr. Reed will consider you a welcome addition to the choir."  
  
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At the mention of Mr. Reed, Sakura groaned. "I've heard he's pretty temperamental. Is it true he breaks his baton in half whenever he gets really mad?"  
  
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"Oh, don't worry about Reed. I think the reason he yells so much is that he likes the sound of his own voice. He used to be an opera singer, so it must be frustrating for him to spend all his time hanging around a bunch of amateurs like us."  
  
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"But you're not an amateur," Sakura blurted out without thinking. "You're--- special." As soon as she'd said it, she felt a familiar heat creep up into her cheeks. Had she revealed too much?  
  
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But Syaoran didn't take it that way. "Thanks. That's a nice way of putting it. Sometimes I feel like I just stand out. Do you ever feel like that? Like you don't really fit in anywhere?"  
  
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Too full of emotion to speak, Sakura simply nodded, running her fingers lightly over the scarred trunk of the Chinese elm. It was a living museum of Hanover High romances. Past and present. E.B. Loves J.L.---that was Elaine Bailey and Jimmy Lewis---they'd been going out together since their freshmen year and were always getting sent to the office for necking in the halls. Carved inside a lopsided heart were the names BEN AND LUCY. Sakura didn't know who they were, but she wondered if they were still together and if they still attend the school. Sakura imagined her own initials next to Syaoran's, then quickly brushed the thought aside, afraid Syaoran would read it in her face.  
  
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"We had a tree like this in our backyard before my mom and dad---before we moved," Syaoran mused. "It even had a tree house, and I could sit up there and see practically the whole neighborhood. I still miss that tree house sometimes---Isn't that dumb?"  
  
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"No, I don't think it's dumb," Sakura replied softly. "I never had a tree house, but there's this hollow down by the creek below our house where the trees grow over a kind of cave. I used to go there a lot just to be alone, or when something was bugging me and I really needed time to think it out."  
  
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"Did you talk to yourself? I did."  
  
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"I sang." Suddenly Sakura no longer felt shy---as if it weren't the great Li Syaoran she was talking to but simply an old comfortable friend. "I made up these crazy songs because I knew no one could hear me."  
  
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"How about singing one of those crazy songs for me sometime?"  
  
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"Never!" She laughed. "But I still go to my hiding place sometimes."  
  
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The warmth in Syaoran's smile seemed to reach out and encircle her like an embrace. "I'd like to see it sometime---if you wouldn't mind."  
  
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Sakura's throat went dry, the words sticking as she tried to speak. "I wouldn't mind," she managed in a soft, almost inaudible voice.  
  
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Syaoran's hand curled over Sakura's, his large, warm fingers encompassing hers easily. "You know something?" he said, his electric amber gaze finding their way directly into her heart. "I think you and I might have more in common than a couple of banged-up bumpers, Sakura Kinomoto."  
  
. . .  
  
Tbc. . .  
  
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0 ~ 0 ~ 0 ~ 0  
  
Wow!! *bows* I want to thank all those who reviewed the first chapter and encouraged me! Yay! Keep it up, it would be a BIG help!  
  
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So. . . Are you still interested? Should I continue?  
  
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Review, ne? That is all I ask of you.  
  
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	3. Coincidence!

Disclaimer: These wonderful characters belong not to me, but to CLAMP. I'm just using them for fun.  
  
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Warnings: Hear ye, hear ye. This AU, SxS, ExT, no magic, no cards, and different lifestyles and behavior of some characters.  
  
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Feedbacks: I crave for them!! Please feed and indulge me!!  
  
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"Words"  
  
'Thoughts'  
  
. . .  
  
Forbidden Love  
  
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Chapter Three: Coincidence!?  
  
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"That woman!" Fujitaka Kinomoto banged his briefcase down on the coffee table. "If the company doesn't settle this case soon, I may end up in a straightjacket!"  
  
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Sakura glanced up at her father from the living room floor, where she was sprawled on her stomach doing her homework. "What case is that, Dad?"  
  
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"Remember I told you about Mr. Danner---the Fuller Brush salesman who's being sued by a lady who claims he backed over her prize rosebushes?"  
  
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"Is that who you're mad at---the lady with the rosebushes?" Sakura went back to figuring the square root of 16,982. It was easier, she thought, than trying to come up with a comfortable way to tell her dad about the accident---especially after seeing what a great mood he was in.  
  
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"No, not Mrs. Waverly." Loosening his tie, he sank down in the easy chair by the fireplace. He was a striking man with strong features and neat chestnut colored hair and gray eyes. "She's a pretty tough old bird for eighty-six, but it's her lawyer I'm talking about. A real woman's libber."  
  
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"Dad," Sakura said, moaning, "you're so old-fashioned!"  
  
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"What's wrong with old-fashioned, I'd like to know? At least in the old days a woman knew how to act around a man."  
  
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"What did she do that was so terrible?"  
  
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"Well, first she got mad just because I got up and offered her my chair. It was the best chair, after all. Then when I tried to calm her down with a compliment, she nearly bit my head off."  
  
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"What was the compliment?" Sakura asked suspiciously.  
  
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There was a hint of roguishness in her father's smile. "I only said she was too pretty to be a lawyer."  
  
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"Daddy, you didn't!" Sakura rolled over onto her back, pretending to be mortally wounded. "Ugh! I can't believe what a chauvinist you are!"  
  
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"None of that talk from you, young lady," he chided, his stern expression unable to disguise the twinkle in his eye. "We chauvinists deserve respect, too, you know."  
  
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A minute later he frowned at the books and papers over the carpet. "Shouldn't you be doing that on your desk? A person can't concentrate properly lying on the floor like that."  
  
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Sakura sighed. "I do some of my best concentrating on the floor," she countered, chewing the end of her pencil.  
  
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"How was school today?" he asked.  
  
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Sakura cleared her throat. It was her moment. She had thought of leaving the car in plain view in the driveway to speak for itself, but in the end she had opted for hiding the evidence in the garage until she could find a gentle way to break it to him. Now she realized there was no way.  
  
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"Dad---there's something I---uh---"  
  
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But his mind had already switched tracks. "Mmmm. What's that I smell? Dinner I hope---I'm starved."  
  
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"Katie left a pot of roast in the oven," she said, relieved to be temporarily off the hook. "I'm supposed to take it out in twenty minutes."  
  
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Katie de Vries was their day housekeeper, a sturdy Dutch lady in her sixties who didn't seem to be bothered by Mr. Kinomoto's chauvinistic remarks, such as when he called her a "treasure" and asked why some man hadn't snatched her up years ago. She always laughed and said something like, "Go on, Mr. Kinomoto, if I were twenty years younger, you wouldn't stand a chance."  
  
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Actually, Sakura also considered her dad's chauvinistic remarks fairly harmless. Like most of her friends' fathers, he just had a weird sense of humor. There was no getting around the fact that he was too conservative, but still she wouldn't want him to be like Rika's father, who played piano in a nightclub in Sacramento and wore lots of gold jewelry and clingy shirt.  
  
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What really bothered Sakura about her dad was that he could never see her side of things. If she could accept him in spite of his being so old- fashioned, why couldn't he recognize that she wasn't a little girl anymore-- -that she was grown up, in fact? He didn't think she was capable of making any decisions on her own---even as something as small as doing her homework on the floor.  
  
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Sakura decided to escape and scooped up the untidy sprawl of books and notepaper, then padded down the hallway to her bedroom at the far end of their house. Being alone in her bedroom always made Sakura feel a little cut off from the rest of the world. She couldn't help thinking about all the times her mom used to come in and sit down on her bed to talk about something. After a while she would get up and smooth the bedspread flat again, just as effortlessly as she smoothed over Sakura's hurt.  
  
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But now she didn't mind being alone; it gave her a chance to sort out her feelings about Syaoran. Had she mistaken the way he looked at her that afternoon? Had touching her hand been just a meaningless gesture?  
  
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She didn't think so---but then she'd had so little experience in those things. Perhaps she was reading too much into Syaoran's simply wanting her as a friend. Or maybe, she concluded, it was too soon for either of them to know how they really felt.  
  
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Sakura sighed and flopped down on her bed. There was just no simple way to straighten out all the mixed-up feelings that were crowding her life at the moment.  
  
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Then she remembered about the piece of paper with Syaoran's number and fished around in her book bag to find it. She had never before believed in things like rabbits' feet and four-leaf clovers bringing people luck, but as she sat there, turning the paper over and over in her hand, she couldn't help but feel that it somehow brought her closer to Syaoran.  
  
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#~#~#  
  
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"You're not eating," said Mr. Kinomoto as he watched Sakura pick at her food. "Not coming down with anything, are you?"  
  
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"I'm fine, Dad---really."  
  
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"What's bothering you then? Anything you want to tell me about?"  
  
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She took a deep breath. 'Here goes nothing.'  
  
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"Dad---it's about the car." Without taking another breath, she plunged ahead. By the time she had finished, her father had stopped cutting his meat and was staring at her, frowning.  
  
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"You're absolutely positive this accident was your fault?" he asked after a long, heart-stopping silence. "Were there any witnesses?"  
  
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"No, but---"  
  
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He held up his fork to silence her. "If it happened as you described it, I'd have to say---as an insurance agent, not as your father---that it doesn't appear to be a clear case of one hundred percent blame on either side."  
  
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She had been expecting anger, so his reaction took her completely by surprise. "But---but---I just told you, I wasn't looking where I was going!"  
  
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"Well, now, that means you're assuming this boy was looking. How much do you really know him, Sakura? What kind of driving record does he have?"  
  
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Unthinkingly she blurted out, "He said he got a ticket last year, and that's why he couldn't get insurance, but I don't see what that has to do with---"  
  
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"No insurance!" Mr. Kinomoto echoed incredulously. "That settles it, then. The boy is obviously irresponsible, as well as a negligent driver. As disappointed as I am in your carelessness, Sakura, I can't let you shoulder all the blame for this. To be fair, I won't hold him responsible for the damage to my car, but you can be damned sure the company won't be paying his."  
  
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"You can't do this!" Sakura wailed, leaping out of her chair. "It was my fault. And Syaoran's been so nice about it. You just can't do this to him, Dad!"  
  
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Mr. Kinomoto's stern expression softened the tiniest bit, but he remained firm. "I can see you like this boy, and I'm sure he went out of his way to be charming after what happened. But, Cherry," he said, using an old endearment that made he cringe, "I've always thought you were too smart to be snowed by someone in a situation like this."  
  
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"You just don't understand at all!"  
  
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"I understand more than you think," he replied evenly. "After all, I happen to have been around a few more years than you. Now---why don't you give me this Li Syaoran's number? I'll call his parents and straighten it out with them."  
  
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Fifteen minutes later, having exhausted all her protests, Sakura went tearfully to her room to get the phone number. She shoved it at her father as if it had suddenly sprouted a deadly fungus. 'I hope he knows he's ruining my whole life!'  
  
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Fujitaka Kinomoto disappeared into his den, where he made all his calls. When he emerged a short while later, he was shaking his head, the expression on his face a combination of outrage and disbelief.  
  
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"I don't believe it," he said slowly, shaking his head. "I just don't believe it."  
  
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"What happened?" Sakura asked nervously, her heart beating fast and hard.  
  
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"I just spoke with Syaoran's mother. She's the one---the woman I was telling you about---the lady lawyer!"  
  
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Sakura felt dizzy, as if she might faint. 'It can't be happening,' she told herself. Coincidences like this just didn't happen to normal, everyday people living in Clinton, California. Her thoughts spun as if in a cyclone. Only one thing stood clear in the midst of it all.  
  
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Whatever slight chance she'd had with Syaoran was surely destroyed.  
  
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Tbc. . .  
  
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#~#~#  
  
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Uh-ohhh, drastic things are starting to happen!  
  
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YAY!! Thanks to those who reviewed! I'm so happy that you wanted me to continue this story. Please continue Reading and reviewing!!  
  
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I already told you that I crave for reviews, ne? Please feed!  
  
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Do you still want me to continue?  
  
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	4. Deal!

Disclaimer: I do not own Card Captor Sakura. They belong to CLAMP. Please don't sue me.

Warnings: AU. Different behaviors and lifestyles of the characters. SXS, EXT.

Feedbacks: Please review! I love feedbacks!

#~#~#

Forbidden Love 

#~#~#

Chapter Four: _Deal!_

#~#~#

"It couldn't be that bad," Tomoyo argued. "Nothing could be _that_ bad." 

"You're right. It's worse than bad. Catastrophic. Maybe even cataclysmic."

"Cataclysmic?" 

Sakura slid her ten-speed into the bike rack at the upper end of the parking lot, then snapped the lock in place. In spite of everything, she was thankful that Tomoyo was on her diet-and-exercise kicks so at least she wouldn't have to ride the three miles to and from school alone—at least not until Tomoyo gave up on her diet.

"I just don't know how I can face Syaoran after last night," Sakura said, moaning. "He must think I'm the world's biggest rat!"

"How do you know that? Give the guy a chance, will you? Besides, you didn't really do anything. It was your father mostly."    

"My father's not the one who wrecked Syaoran's car."

"Well, I'm sure Syaoran knows you didn't do it on purpose. I mean, I know you were desperate to meet him, but you'd never _go that_ far."

"Seriously, Tomoyo, what am I going to do? What am I going to say when I meet him?"

"I don't know. Do you have to see him? Maybe you could transfer to another school." Tomoyo was struggling, unsuccessfully, not to smile. "What's in Anchorage?"

"I don't know—lots of snow, I guess. Maybe I could get myself a dog sled. Then I wouldn't ever have to drive another car."

"Yeah, but think of all those dogs you'd have to feed."

Sakura looked at her friend in dismay. "This is just great. My life's falling apart, and my best friend is cracking dog jokes."

"Well, all I can say is, if this is all it takes to make your life fall apart, I'd hate to see you in a real crisis," Tomoyo responded as they clomped up the worn slate steps of the main building. "Honestly, Sakura, maybe all this is a blessing in disguise. Who knows how long it would have taken Syaoran to notice you otherwise?"

"Notice me! He's going to break out in hives whenever he hears my name after this!"

"C'mon, Syaoran is nice… you said so, too! He'll take this whole thing in a stride." Tomoyo gave Sakura a sheepish smile. "Actually, that's what my father said to me last night about Mr. Terada when I spilled hot chocolate all over my book report. He said there are worse things in life than Ernest Hemingway getting a cocoa mustache."

Sakura giggled. "Like drinking hot chocolate when you're supposed to be in a diet, right?"

Tomoyo groaned. "Why can't I learn to keep my mouth? And in more ways than one!"

They had barely reached their lockers when the first bell went off, clattering and clanging its way through the cavernous, lime-green corridors. Suddenly the lazy stream of students drifting by turned into a jostling, frenzied throng. Tomoyo grabbed Sakura's arm.

"Listen, I gotta go. But we got so involved talking about Syaoran, I forgot to tell you—Eriol called last night. He wanted to know if I'd go to the Spring Fling with him."

"That's terrific, Tomoyo! I guess I was being pretty selfish about my problem, but how could you forget to tell me a thing like that?"

She shrugged casually, but her beaming face was a dead giveaway. "I guess I knew how I'd feel if I were you. When you're miserable, the last thing in the world you want to hear was somebody else's good news."

"Well, miserable or not, I still think it's fantastic. What did you tell him?"

"That I had another date with Mick Jagger and couldn't make it. What do you think, dummy?"

"Sorry I asked. Have you decided what you're going to wear?"

"Hey, give me a chance. The dance is still a three weeks away. Eriol said he wanted to ask me before anyone else did. Can you imagine anyone being so sweet?"

"I don't see what's so sweet about it. There's no reason he shouldn't think you've got lots of boyfriends."

"Yeah, you can see them lining up for me every day at lunchtime," Tomoyo said and laughed.

"Don't knock it. At least you're going to the dance."

"You'll probably get asked, too. There's still plenty of time." A mischievous gleam crept into her eyes. "Who knows? Maybe Syaoran will ask you."

"Ha, that's a laugh. Even if he didn't hate me—he probably has a date lined up."

"Don't be so sure. Anyway, the dance theme is Hawaiian luau, so you won't have to worry about any references to a car." Tomoyo scooted out of the away as Sakura held up her loose leaf and threatened to throw it at her.

Sakura had modern dance first period, which was part of the PE program. Never had she been in a mood to "soar," as Ms. Spencer put it, to the strains of _The Rite of Spring._ It was not that she hated dance itself—it was doing it that was the problem. To say she was klutzy was putting it mildly, Sakura thought. For instance, at the end of a recent pantomime exercise, Sally Berger came up to Sakura and asked quite seriously if she was supposed to be a puppy on a leash. Actually, Sakura had been trying to imitate a hummingbird, but she kept that to herself after Sally's question and pretended she had guessed right. Ms. Spencer awarded her a C+ for originality.

As the class sunk into deep knee bends, Maureen Collins brushed up against Sakura and whispered, "Heard about how you snagged Syaoran the other day. Neat trick. Wish I'd thought of it."

Sakura shot her a dirty look, and Maureen giggled. There was no chance for her to reply as Ms. Spencer, looking like a purple sausage in her leotard, went twirling across the floor with everyone in hot pursuit. "Light-ly, girls, light-ly," she trilled. "We're butterflies in flight, not a herd of elephants. . ."

Although Maureen's comment in dance and Eddie Talbot's announcement the day before in Chemistry had given Sakura some idea of how many people were finding out about the accident, it wasn't until she was peeling off her sweaty tights in the locker room that Sakura discovered just how fast gossip really traveled at Hanover. It seemed everyone in the whole school had heard about the accident and thought of it as some huge joke.

"Nice going, Kinomoto," yelled Leona Hanson over the roar of the showers. "I heard you really socked it to Li Syaoran!"

"I hope you know you've set back the cause of women drivers at least a hundred years!" Ella Preston cried militantly.

Sakura bore all the teasing with good-natured embarrassment. But any hope she'd had of the whole disastrous affair settling quietly were crushed as the bantering continued throughout the rest of the day. She sat through whispered wisecracks in English and in typing messed up a test, coming out with a score of eighteen words a minute after subtracting two points for each mistake. It was beginning to look as if she could do nothing right. By lunchtime she felt like a walking jinx.

"Maybe I should tape a big sign to my back: Beware of Klutz!" she complained to Tomoyo and Rika, who were sitting and sunning on Hanover's front lawn.

"How about 'Disaster in Progress'?" suggested Rika sweetly. 

"Some help you guys are," Sakura muttered, "I thought you were my friends."

"We are, we are!!" they said in chorus.

"Have you run in—I mean, have you seen Syaoran yet?" Chiharu asked, flopping down beside them on the grass.

Three-quarters of the student body could be seen sprawled across the spacious lawn in front of the school. It was much too nice to stay inside. The thermometer outside the gym read eighty-nine degrees, and a cloudless sky the color of well-faded denim sailed serenely overhead. On a day like this, Sakura thought, she should be kicking up her heels instead of kicking herself. Worry had worked itself into a tight knot in the pit of her stomach, making her cheese-and-sprout sandwich taste like rubber between two pieces of dry bread.

Before she could answer Chiharu's question, Tomoyo nudged her in the ribs. "Speak of the devil!" she whispered. "Don't look now, but someone you know is coming this way."

Sakura whirled about to find a pair of familiar amber eyes gazing down at her. "Syaoran!" she almost screamed, swallowing hard to clear her throat of the bite of sandwich that was lodged firmly there. A surge of heat rushed up her neck. _Say something!_ a voice inside her was shouting, but she couldn't think of a thing to say.

"Hi, Sakura," Syaoran said, stuffing his hands self-consciously into his jean pockets.

Of all the things she'd lain awake the night before imagining what he would say to her, "_Hi, Sakura,_" definitely wasn't one of them. 

"Hi," she finally managed to spit out.

He started to say something, then glanced nervously at her friends. Tomoyo took the hint right away. "We were just leaving, weren't we?" she piped up, jamming the remains of her lunch back into its bag and casting fierce looks at Chiharu and Rika. The three jumped to their feet almost in unison. "See ya, Sakura!" they yelled, breaking into telltale giggles as they hurried off toward the cafeteria.

Sakura wasn't sure being alone with Syaoran was better than having him yell at her in front of her friends. She sat there dumbly, struggling to find the words that would show Syaoran how sorry she was. But "sorry" wasn't going to fix his car, she knew. _My father stuck bamboo under my fingernails to make me give him your number,_ she thought of saying as her desperation grew. No, he'd never believe it. What about the truth then? About how she'd tried to explain to her dad, and somehow it had come out all wrong.

"Syaoran, I—"

"Wait a minute, Sakura," Syaoran interrupted, dropping down beside her. "There's something I want to say first, so you can stop looking at me like I'm a policeman getting ready to arrest you. I know you didn't have anything to do with your father calling up last night."

Sakura's eyes widened. "You do?"

He grinned. "Yeah. I figured you tried to tell your dad and it got blown out of proportion, right?"

Sakura breathed a huge sigh of relief, then recounted the previous night's episode at the dinner table. "I've never seen him so determined! Once he'd made up his mind, that was it. He wouldn't even listen to me. And when he found out who your mother was—" she stopped in mid-sentence.

Syaoran nodded in sympathy. "It's like the song: 'immovable object' meets 'irresistible force.'"

Sakura stared at him uncomprehendingly. "Huh?"

"Our parents," he said, "Looks like my mom finally met her match. I didn't think there was another person on this planet as stubborn as she is."

"What did your mom said after my dad called?" she asked.

"She did a lot of hopping around yelling at first. Then she calmed down and decided to sue your dad's company for the money to fix the car."

Sakura groaned. When dad finds out about this! "I can't believe this! It's like they're having some kind of a personal war and using us as an excuse."

"Kind of looks that way, doesn't it?" he slouched back on his elbows, adjusting his faded orange visor against the glare of the noonday sun.

"I wish I had the money—I'd give it to you myself," she said. "Maybe I could pay you back when I get a summer job?"

"No way. You don't know my mom, anyway. Once she sinks her teeth into something like this, there's no letting go. You can bet she'll see this to the gruesome end."

"Well, she's in for some stiff competition then. My dad isn't known for giving up easily, either. He doesn't even think women should be lawyers in the first place. Isn't that awful?"

Syaoran stared at her for a few seconds, then they both burst out laughing.

"It's incredible," he said, "There's supposed to be the grown-ups, and they're acting like a couple of kids!"

"Hey, that's not fair!" Sakura argued, "_We're_ kids, and look how reasonable we are."

"Let's face it. You and I are special—that's what comes of being only children."

"Do we have to give up?" Sakura asked. "Isn't there something we could do to change their minds? There's got to be a better way of working this out than fighting about it."

"Tell you what," Syaoran suggested. "You work on your dad, and I'll see if I can't make a crack or two in Mom's armor. Meanwhile, I don't see why you and I can't be friends. Deal?" He stuck out his hand.

"Deal." His clasp sent tingles up her arm; but she was not prepared for the rush of sensation that overwhelmed her when he brushed her chin with the back of his other hand, tilting her head back to meet his gaze.

"I like you, Sakura Kinomoto," he said, his eyes twinkling. "Even if your driving isn't worth beans."

Tbc. . .

Hi! Thanks again for the reviews! Please review some more!

Should I continue this? *ducks as fruits flew past her* I know, I know! I wouldn't say it again! *giggles* actually, I'm saying it to tease you. *ducks again* Especially miss_k!

**To Miss_k **~ I'm no teenager! I'm already seventeen and in college. *snickers* but I just wanted to write a teenage fic so here I am. Thanks for your support!

Thanks again to everyone else!

Review!


	5. Major Setback!

Disclaimer: I do no own them. I repeat, I do not own them. Not satisfied yet? I DO NOT OWN THEM.

Warnings: AU. Different behaviors and lifestyles of characters. SXS, EXT. 

Feedbacks: Yoohoo?! Anyone there? Review!

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**Tenshi**: You are so going to kill me after this chapter.

**Thanatos**: *nodding* Just try to remember that I am only her muse, ok? I don't want to be involved in a bloodbath.

**#~#~#**

**FORBIDDEN LOVE**

**#~#~#**

Chapter Five:  _Major Setback_

**#~#~#**

Sakura sailed away from school in a daze, unaware that the wheels of her ten-speed were touching the ground—until she hit a pothole that nearly caused her to lose her balance. After that she slowed down enough for Tomoyo, who was pedaling furiously half a block behind, to catch up.

"Whew!" Tomoyo sighed as she mopped her heat-flushed face with the sleeve of the sweatshirt that was knotted loosely over her shoulders. "You're not thinking of trying out for the Olympics by any chance?"

"I just want to get to my dad's office," Sakura explained between breaths.

Tomoyo looked puzzled. "Can't you talk to him at home?"

"I could, but it wouldn't be the same. I want this to be sort of like, um, a business call. I figured he might take me more seriously in more professional surroundings."

"I get it," said Tomoyo with a knowing grin. "In other words, he can't yell at you if people are listening."

"You're something, Daidouji," Sakura retorted. "You're the only person I know who could make a jock felt like a Fuller Brush salesman."

Tomoyo smiled innocently. "I'll take that as a compliment."

They finally slowed down as they approached the welcome shade of downtown Clinton, swerving now and then to avoid getting drenched by a sprinkler. Clinton always reminded Sakura a little of an oasis in the middle of a desert. Unlike many Central Valley towns, Clinton's founding fathers had spared nothing when it had come to planting trees and other assorted greenery. The result was that in the middle of heat spells, which regularly soared into the hundreds, their little town looked cool and inviting.

At that time of the year, the mock plum trees surrounding the town plaza were a solid cloud of pink. Tiny, fragrant petals fluttered in the girls' wakes as they turned onto Main Street, where most of the shops and businesses were clustered. Normally they would have stopped at Baskin-Robbins for an ice cream cone, but since Sakura was in a hurry and Tomoyo on a diet, they bypassed it reluctantly. Sakura could hear her friend's soft groan as they rode past the familiar pink polka-dot façade. Finally Sakura braked to a stop in front of a small, rustic-looking building, surrounded on one side by the Bank of America and on the other by the Wee Care Pet shop. The sign outside read: UNIFIED INSURANCE GROUP—FUJITAKA KINOMOTO, AGENT.

"Call me when it's over," Tomoyo called as she breezed past. "I'd rather not be around when the heads start rolling, if you don't mind!"

 Sakura shook a clenched fist in reply.

Mrs. Willet, her father's longtime secretary, looked up from her computer as Sakura entered the air-conditioned reception office. Her plump, powered cheeks lifted in a wide smile. "What a surprise, Sakura! I haven't seen you in ages." She wagged a playful finger. "I supposed it's a boyfriend who's taking up all your time now."

Sakura blushed, thinking of Syaoran. "Not exactly."

Absently Mrs. Willet patted her immaculate, sprayed silver coif. "Well, never you mind, dear. One of these days a nice boy will come along, and he'll make all the waiting worthwhile."

_Maybe he already has,_ Sakura told herself. Then again, maybe not. Syaoran had said he liked her, nothing more. Liking someone didn't necessarily mean instant romance. _Go slowly, Sakura Kinomoto, don't let your emotions run away with you._

"Is my father busy?" she asked the secretary.

"On the phone," she replied. "But go ahead in. I'm sure he won't mind your waiting inside so long as you're quiet."

No sooner had Sakura tiptoed into the wood-paneled inner office than she realized she couldn't have chosen a worse moment to make her appearance. Fujitaka Kinomoto sat hunched over the phone, his face an ominous dark red. He was speaking loudly—the loudest a person can get without actually shouting—to whomever was on the other end.

"You can sue me all the way to the Supreme Court for all I care!" he barked into the receiver. "That doesn't change the facts one iota. If that irresponsible son of yours—yes, that's right, _irresponsible_—was such a good driver, why couldn't he get insurance in the first place?"

Sakura slunk down in her chair. She didn't have to be a genius to guess it was Syaoran's mother he was talking to.

"Well, if you ask me—what the boy needs is a good talking to by his father!"

Pause.

"Hrrmph! There's no need to get insulted. I'm sure your marital affairs are no business of m—"

Pause.

"Not _that_ kind of affairs. Now just hold on a minute, I didn't mean to imply—" His expression blackened. "Slander? You can't sue me for slander! I never—"

There was a sound of the dial tone, and Mr. Kinomoto stared at the receiver for a bewildered, furious moment before slamming it down. For the first time he took notice of Sakura, slumped miserably in a chair. Slowly a sheepish grin began to steal over his stormy features. 

"Guess I kind of got carried away, huh?" he said. "I've never known a woman who could get under my skin the way that one can, though. Stubborn as a mule!"

Sakura cleared her throat, smiling weakly. "Sounds a little like you, Dad."

He chuckled softly. "Well—maybe. But a man has to stand his ground these days—the way you gals take advantage."

"Ugh!" she rolled her eyes to the ceiling. "I don't see how Syaoran's mother can be all that bad. She did a pretty job raising Syaoran."

His brows shot up. "And what would you know about that, young lady? I hope you haven't been hanging around with this boy—he's trouble, don't kid yourself about that."

"Oh, Daddy, you act like he's some kind of juvenile delinquent. I promise you, he's nothing like that at all. He's really nice. If you could only meet him—"

"Spare me the honor," he said. "One Li is about all I can handle at the moment."

"But—"

"And I don't want you hanging around with that character, either. Understood?"

"But Dad—that's so unfair!" Sakura was dangerously close to tears.

Mr. Kinomoto heaved his solid frame from his chair and came around to place his arms around his daughter's shoulders.

"Look, Cherry, I know things haven't been all that easy since Mom—" He paused, as if unsure whether or not the water he was treading was too deep. "I'm not saying I'm such a perfect parent, but I do know a few things in spite of my ancient ideas. So trust me on this one, ok?"

Sakura's throat was so tight that all she could manage was a nod, even though she wanted to disagree.

"Now what was so urgent that you couldn't wait to tell me until I got home?" he asked. 

She bit her lip. "Nothing, Dad," she lied. "I—I just wanted to stop in and say hi, that's all."

"In that case, what do you say we sneak down to the ice-cream parlor for one of those butterscotch sundaes you're so crazy about?"

_Stop treating me like I'm a little kid!_ She felt like shouting. When she was five years old and scrapped her knees, her father bought her ice cream. Nothing has change, at least as far as he was concerned.

"Some other time, ok?" she mumbled. "I've got a ton of homework."

He shrugged, trying not to look hurt. "Sure, Cherry. We'll got another time."

Sakura fled quickly outside so he wouldn't see that she was crying.

*** * * ***

"GOODNESS! I haven't seen such a long face since that boyfriend of yours moved to Philadelphia," said Mrs. De Vries, pausing in the midst of mopping the kitchen floor to peer at Sakura over the tops of her spectacles.

"Oh, Katie, that was two whole years ago. And Yukito Tsukishiro wasn't my boyfriend! We were just friends—he never even kissed me." Actually, he tried once, but she was wearing braces at that time and had a morbid fear of cutting his lips.      

The stout housekeeper tapped the side of her head. "HA! I knew it! That's what's behind this face of yours—a boy!"

Katie de Vries fancied herself something of a mind reader. She also believed that almost every sickness known to mankind could be cured with one of her herbal teas. Sakura loved Mrs. De Vries and regarded her as a part-time grandmother.

"No—yes—sort of," she confessed. "It's complicated."

"Well why don't you come over here and try explaining it then? Never mind about the floor. Sit down and I'll make you a nice cup of comfrey tea." She winked. "Good for the nerves."

Sakura smiled. Comfrey. It sounded as if she was going to be wrapped up in a big fluffy quilt and maybe have a bedtime story read aloud to her—which didn't seem like such a terrible idea at the moment. Why was it she couldn't even make up her mind whether she was still a little kid or an almost adult? She planted her elbows on the table and nibbled gloomily at the slice of raisin bread Katie had set down in front of her.

"This wouldn't have anything to do with the boy who smashed into your father's car, by any chance, would it?" probed Katie, settling into the chair opposite Sakura.

"How did you know about that?" Sakura stared incredulously into Katie's flushed, sturdy face, framed by an ivory halo of curls.

Mrs. De Vries laughed. "No trick to it this time. Your father was complaining so loudly at breakfast, I wouldn't be surprise if half the neighborhood heard."

"Well, anyway, it wasn't Syaoran's fault. I ran into him. Not on purpose, of course. But Dad won't believe me. I guess it's easier to blame some stranger than your own daughter."

"Now, Sakura, you know our father's not that kind of person," she scolded gently. "Right or wrong, I'm sure he has his reasons for believing what he does."

"But if they are the wrong reasons, what difference does it make? Either way, Syaoran loses out. And I know he'll end up hating me even if he doesn't now." Fresh tears shimmered briefly in her green eyes before she brushed them away with an angry fist.

"Ah!" Katie's brows arched upward. "Now I'm beginning to see. What you're really concerned about are Syaoran's feelings for you, no?"

Sakura gulped and nodded. "It's so unfair. I just know Dad wouldn't be this way about Syaoran if he could only meet him and see how nice he is."

"Perhaps." Katie smiled, a faraway look in her blue eyes. "But you must try and understand your father's feelings, too, Sakura dear."

"What's there to understand?"

"Sakura, Sakura—you've grown into such a pretty girl. Your father sees how attracted you are to this boy, and maybe he's just a tiny bit afraid."

"Afraid?" she echoed. "Of what?"

Katie's large, competent hand patted her arm. "Of the future, Sakura. You don't have to be a mind reader to see that!"  

Tbc…

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**Tenshi**: See? That wasn't so bad, was it? *ducks at sharp-looking projectiles aimed at her* Oh, c'mon! I know you want to have some SXS action, but let's make this a little realistic, ok?

**Thanatos**: Don't kill her. You won't have your next chapter if you did.

**Tenshi**: Aww, shucks, my Aibou cares. 

**Thanatos**: . . .

**Tenshi**:  -_-;; Righhhtt. . . Next chapter, I promise! Sakura's gonna audition for the a cappella choir, and. . . *whistles* Nuh-uh! I'm not gonna spoil everything! 

**Thanatos**: . . . zzzzzzz. . .zzzzzzz. . .

**Tenshi**: I think Aibou fell asleep. Anyway, read and review! Oh, yeah, I wanna answer my reviewers! First, to…

  Miss_K: You're a Filipina? Or you only know how to speak Tagalog? And you like Parokya? YAY! You also like Gundam Wing? Double YAY! Oh, yeah, I've read one story of Little Wolf Lover—Wild Things—and I agree that her stories are great. There's just something wrong with her grammar… bar that, everything is great! The other writers… I'll look into them sometime. Thanks for recommending them!

             Wait for the next chapter! Heh, what's a story without some competition, ne?

             WOW! I'm planning to buy the Complete Collection of Card Captor Sakura Soundtrack (Ya know, the one with four CD's?) and I have all Gundam Wing soundtrack! 

             You said I'm talented? Shucks, *****blushes***** thanks!

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  SakuraLiForever: Thanks for reviewing! I've read your story, and I'll e-mail you about it.

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  Lil-Chibi-Person: You really put me into your faves list? *blushes* shucks… thanks!

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  Cherry BlossomAB: Thank you very much! Hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

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  Kanna-sagara: Here's the new chapter, thanks for reviewing!

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  Suzu: A kiss? Hm… *grins* wait for the next chapter… that's when the FUN will start! 

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  Silver Wolf Gurl: Don't fret! Everything's gonna be fine! But not after some misunderstandings… *chuckles* 

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Tenshi: Yoshi! I want to thank these wonderful people again for reading and reviewing!

Thanatos: Review, ne?


	6. Trying Out

Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura and its characters are not mine. I'm just borrowing them for the time being.

Warnings: Alternate Universe. No Clow cards, card captor, powers… SxS, ExT.

Feedbacks: Onegai shimasu!

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. . .

Forbidden Love

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Chapter Six: _Trying Out_

Monday mornings, on the way to school, Sakura always stopped to have breakfast at Tomoyo's. It had become a kind of tradition. She didn't know exactly how it started, except it had to do with the fact that Mrs. Sonomi Daidouji volunteered at a convalescent home Sunday mornings, so she always cooked something extra special on Monday to make up for it. That morning it was waffles with strawberries and whipped cream.

I could eat a mountain of these," said Sakura as she put a forkful into her mouth.

Tomoyo shot her a pained look over a bowl of strawberries, plain with no cream. "Ugh! Do you know how many calories there are in one waffle, not to mention the cream?"

Mrs. Daidouji plopped another waffle onto Sakura's plate. She was a shorthaired version of her daughter, with the same charm and pretty face. "Here we go again!" She laughed. "Tomoyo has turned into a walking calorie computer since we went shopping for a dress for the dance."

"Would you believe there was nothing, absolutely ZILCH, in anything but sizes seven and nine?" Tomoyo moaned.

Sakura, who was a size seven, suggested, "You could always make your own dress. Didn't you get an A in home ec last semester?"

"That was for my lasagna Bolognese. The last dress I made I sewed the zipper in backward and had to rip the whole thing apart when I was done."

"Yeah, I remember the lasagna," piped in Touya, Tomoyo's ten-year-old brother. "Suppi ate some and got sick all over the rug."

At the sound of his name, Suppi raised his big shaggy white head off his paws, blinked at them, and then went back to sleep. From his cage by the window, Kero squawked, "Suppi! Suppi! You lazy dog! Suppi"—a performance the sheep dog ignored completely.

"Gross!" yelled seven-year-old Maki. One of her dark tresses had slipped unnoticed into the whipped cream on her plate, and Sakura reached over to rescue it. Thirteen-year-old Ami started to giggle uncontrollably, prompting the baby to bang his spoon delightedly against his high chair.

"Hey, settle down, gang," grunted Mr. Daidouji good-naturedly, hunching his lean shoulder over his plate. "Mind if I eat my breakfast in peace?"

"Peace?" echoed his wife, grinning, "My goodness, if we ever had a peaceful meal in this house, we wouldn't know how to eat it."

Sakura thought automatically of the meals she shared at home with her dad, which, although companionable, seldom got noisier than "pass the salt, please" or "sure you wouldn't like another dab of potato salad?" The last two days had been even worse. Since Friday, a kind of undeclared pact of silence had existed between them. Nothing on the surface, of course. If anything, they were both being extra polite to each other, but inside, Sakura's resentment boiled.

To top everything off, Syaoran hadn't even called, although he'd half-promised he would. She didn't really blame him, but that didn't make it any easier. The phone had been deathly silent all weekend except for Tomoyo calling to fill her in on the latest with Eriol and her diet. She'd lost three pounds so far. _Terrific_, thought Sakura.

That morning she'd woken up with an uneasy feeling that Monday wasn't going to be much better. It was just a vague notion at first as she fought her way through the layers of sleep. Then she remembered. Monday was the day she was going for the try for the a cappella choir. Ms. Mizuki had arranged it with Mr. Reed after Sakura finally decided Tomoyo was right about taking chances. What did she have to lose after, all? And if she did get in, it would mean extra time she could spend with Syaoran—time her father couldn't object to if her found out. It was very tempting. But there were still too many ifs. _If_ Mr. Reed liked her. _If_ she didn't blow it with Syaoran. If, if, if…

__

If only I have laryngitis right now, she wished half seriously. _Then I wouldn't have to worry about it. _

As if reading her thoughts, Tomoyo remarked, "Sakura's trying out for the a cappella choir today. Isn't that neat? I'll bet she's a shoo-in."

Touya perked up. "How much d'you wanna bet? I've got three dollars saved from my birthday."

"Not that kind of bet, dummy," Tomoyo shot back disgustedly. "How can anyone be so stupid?"

"Stupid!" parroted Kero, causing everyone to break up, including Mr. Daidouji. 

"Hark, the natives grow restless," observed Nakuru coolly as she speared a tidy forkful of waffle. She was the oldest at seventeen and a half, also somewhat of a snob in Tomoyo's opinion, who claimed the only things her sister cared about were her collection of music albums and the gold necklace her boyfriend gave her before he went away to college. 

"I was in the choir at my school," Tomoyo's mother recalled wistfully, wiping a stray hair from her forehead. "We sure had a lot of fun—even put on a couple of operettas."

"Mom, I didn't know you could sing," Tomoyo responded in astonishment.

She waved her spatula at them. "There's a lot kids don't know about their parents. And it wouldn't hurt them one little bit to find out!"

"Good luck, Sakura," called Mr. Daidouji cheerily as she and Tomoyo got up from the table to leave for school.

For some reason, the younger children found this hilarious, and when Sakura gave a last glance over her shoulder, they were doubled up over their plates in hysterics.

"Sometimes," Tomoyo said, rolling her eyes dramatically, "I think how nice it would be if I lived on the moon."

Sakura smiled. "What about Eriol? Wouldn't it get lonely up there after a while?"

"I'll let you know after I've met the man on the moon," she wisecracked. "What if he looks like Josh Hartnett?"

Sakura giggled, already feeling a lot better about facing the day.

. . .

That afternoon, as she stood in front of Mr. Reed and the whole a cappella choir, she wasn't so sure. Anxiously she scanned their faces. Rika caught her eye with a little wave of encouragement, and Tomoyo was giving her the victory sign. Syaoran offered a smile, which warmed her in spite of her cold feet and churning stomach.

Sakura licked her lips and glanced over at Mr. Reed, who sat perched on the piano stool comfortably, his neck inclined forward, peering at the music sheet in front of him. Sakura had chosen a selection from _The Magic Flute_, a piece she had sung a dozen of times without any problems. But at that moment, the inside of her mouth felt like Kleenex, and she was sure she wouldn't remember a single word.

But as Mr. Reed began playing enthusiastically on the piano, the music she knew so well swelled effortlessly from her throat. She forgot how self-conscious she'd been a minute before.

The notes rose and fell, enclosing her in her own private bubble—the way it was whenever she sang alone. She could almost have believed, if she closed her eyes, that she was back in her little tree-cave by the creek.

Suddenly she knew it was going to be all right. No matter what happened—if she was accepted or not—everything was going to be ok. Syaoran's presence stretched toward her like an invisible tide, filling her with warmth and joy. She drew a deep breath and sent the final notes soaring upward with more emotion than she had ever sung before.

There was an instant of silence, then the choir members exploded in applause. Tomoyo and Rika rocketed from their seats, clapping wildly while Syaoran issued several ear-splitting hurrahs. Sakura stood there awkwardly, a grin plastered in place, then gave a little bow.

"Very nice, Mr. Kinomoto," intoned Mr. Reed, his lips stretching into a smile. "Very nice indeed." He sounded surprise, as if wondering where she had been hiding all this time. 

After Mr. Reed spoke, Sakura, feeling happy and relieved, darted out of the room.

. . .

"You were fan-tas-tic!" Syaoran said and whooped, catching her in a bear hug of congratulations. "Didn't I tell you that you would be?"

Sakura noticed several people staring at them, probably wondering if they were an item. A group of girls were even glaring daggers at her. She flushed, thinking, _Let them wonder_. "You really think Mr. Reed liked me?"

"Like you? Hey, are you kidding? He probably would have asked for your autograph if you hadn't run off like that."

"Ha!" she exclaimed.

"Seriously," Syaoran said. "You were sensational, and you know it. I don't know why I'm telling you this. Pretty soon your head will be so big they'll have to make all the doors around here wider to let you through."

Sakura giggled. "Well, at least that's better than melting into a big puddle, like I thought I was going to."

He took her hand as they strolled across the patio, heading for the paths that branched among the acacias. Sakura felt the thrill of his touch travel up her arm like a mild electric shock. She noticed how his hair was tinted with gold in the afternoon sun and how his smile set her heart racing. Part of her felt as if it were the most natural thing in the world to be walking hand in hand with him, while another part of her felt as though she were walking through a magical dream. Later, when she was alone, she knew she would remember every single detail of that moment.

"I wonder when Mr. Reed will let me know his decision," she said.

"I'm sure he's already made it. But he'll want to talk to Ms. Mizuki first. Don't worry, you'll probably know by tomorrow or the day after."

"I just hope I can hold my breath that long."

"You're in," Syaoran assured her.

Sakura couldn't seem to stop grinning. "I can't believe I did it. I actually got up in front of everyone and sang. Even if I don't make the choir, I feel like I've just climbed a mountain or something."

He stopped and looked at her. "You know what this could mean, don't you? If we're in the choir together—what with the spring concert rehearsals and all—maybe our parents will have to think twice about keeping up with this crazy feud."

Sakura's soaring heart landed with a thud inside her chest. "I don't know, Syaoran. I've never seen my father set on anything. He—he even told me not to see you."

"You, too?" Wow, and I thought I was the only one. Mom landed on me with both feet about this. I'm embarrass to tell you what she said about you."

"It couldn't be worse than what my dad said about you."

"Yeah? I can guess. He thinks I'm a juvenile delinquent, right? Mom said you were just a little gold digger and that I should keep away from you or sew my pockets shut."

"Me?" Sakura's face burned at the thought.

Syaoran walked around her, pretending to examine her with great interest. "Hmmm, yes, very interesting."

"What on earth are you doing?" Sakura cried indignantly, swinging around to face him.

He grinned. "Looking for your horns and tail."

"Rat! I'll get you for that!"

"Oh yeah, what did you have in mind?" Abruptly he drew her against him and kissed her lightly on the mouth. Sakura felt warm and prickly, pleasure washing over her in waves, as if it were the first time she had been kissed. In a way, it was.

"Nothing that drastic," she said lightly, not wanting to see how deeply affected she was. Why, her insides were quivering with delight!

They walked a little further in silence before Syaoran blurted, "Any chance you could talk your dad into letting me take you to the Spring Fling?"

Sakura was stunned. In spite of everything that had happened, she still couldn't believe Li Syaoran was actually asking her to the dance.

"I—I don't know," she answered honestly. "I'll try."

__

Try was putting it mildly, she thought. If there were any chance in the world of changing her father's mind, she would do everything she could to find it. Didn't they say that all is fair in love and war? Well, she was in love… and this was war!

Tbc…

Okey, before anything else… Gomen nasai! I'm so sorry it took me a while, quite a while actually, to type this chapter. My computer crashed, and the files were erased. *sighs* And then there was that really hard Accounting final exam. God, it was HARD!

Okey, now that that's settled (it is, ne?), I'd like to thank the following:

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Miss_K: Hiya, Kay! You think I don't have any mistakes? They're there, just not noticeable. I'm Tenshi *LOL* and what's this? Hook me with your brother? Um, can't do. I'm busy with my legions of lovers. You know? There's Duo, then Killua, then Ban-chan and Kadsuki-chan, then Sasuke-kun, and Kurama… see? There's still more… *giggles* Would you believe I still have braces?! I HATE them! But it'll be removed this year, thank God!

Hey, I don't mind if you like to say a lot! I'm like that, too! Thanks for reviewing!

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Suzu: Weee!! I LOVE Gundam Wing! Daisuki! Duo is so cute! Anyway, I think I started reading "Queen…" but I stopped in the middle. (hihi…) Have you read "Childhood Crush" of Starjade? Now that's good. And it has like TONS of reviews. Thanks for reviewing!

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Silver wolf gurl: Here's the chapter! Thanks for reviewing!

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TaRe-ChiBi: Yep! I can speak tagalog, of course, I am a Filipina. Bakit marunong kang magbasa pero hindi ka marunong magsalita? ^_^ Thanks for review!

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Sweetiehartieangel369: Don't be speechless! Here's the chappie. Thanks for reviewing!

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Alex: Wow! You updated twice! Thanks. Sorry for being late… Anyway, thanks for reviewing!

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Kanna sagara: Yeah, I know damn well about school and stuff… Don't worry! Thanks for reviewing!

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SkuraLiForever: Thanks for the e-mail!

Guys, you're all the reason why I'm still writing this fic! Thanks again!

Ja ne!!!

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Review! 


	7. Romeo and Juliet

Disclaimer: Card Captor Sakura and its characters are not mine. They belong to CLAMP. Please don't sue. 

Warnings: Alternate Universe. SxS, ExT. No clow cards, card captors, or magic. The characters are also kinda OOC, and have different lifestyles.

Feedbacks: Yes, please! Any comments will be welcomed!

. .

Chapter Seven:  _Romeo and Juliet_

"I can't believe it." Sakura wandered from the music room in a daze, while Rika and Tomoyo alternately thumped her on the back excitedly. Naoko and Chiharu caught up with them in the hallway, with the latter giving a loud scream when Sakura announced, "I'm in!"

"And that's not all," gushed Tomoyo. "Mr. Reed wants her to do a solo for the spring concert!"

"Wow!" shrieked Chiharu. "If they put you on TV, you'll be a star!"

"Wait until your father hears this," said Rika. "He'll forget all about the accident." She thumped Sakura's back one more time before rushing off to her next class, with Naoko and Chiharu behind her.

"I fell dizzy," Sakura said, clutching Tomoyo's arm.

"You're hyperventilating," Tomoyo assured her knowingly. "Nakuru gets that way all the time from blowing her nails to make them dry faster. Just calm down before you faint or something."

"I can't calm down!"

"Well, don't worry. If you faint I'll get Syaoran to give you mouth-to-mouth resuscitation."

"Now that's an idea." Sakura laughed as the bell sounded its summons.

Tomoyo lowered her voice to a whisper. "Have you told Syaoran the bad news about the dance yet?"

Instantly Sakura sobered, remembering her father's reaction two nights before, when she timidly broached the subject of the dance.

"Absolutely not!" he had bellowed. "And that's the last I want to hear of it."

Sakura took a deep breath and plunged ahead anyway. "Dad, if you're worried about Syaoran's driving, I've already worked it out with Tomoyo, and she said we can double with her and Eriol."

"Sounds like you've been doing quite a bit of planning without my go-ahead," he observed coolly. "Don't you think you should have asked me first before you worked it all out with Tomoyo?"

"But you would have said no!"

"Darn right. I won't have you running around with troublemakers. There are plenty of nice boys for you to go to the dance with."

"But Syaoran _is_ nice," she protested, knowing it was useless to argue but still unable to stop herself. "Besides, no one else has asked me."

"And they're not going to if they see you mooning over Syaoran," he pronounced emphatically.

Sakura felt herself growing desperate. "If you could only talk to him—"

"I don't have to talk to him to know what he is. Just look at the statistics! One moving violation and one accident in less than a year of driving—without insurance, I might add. And he comes from a broken home with no father to provide guidance and a crazy mother in trousers who won't listen to reason." Fujitaka Kinomoto, insurance agent, was big on statistics.

_Look who's talking!_ Sakura felt like yelling. As far as she was concerned, her father and Syaoran's mother were two of a kind. She might as well try to convince one of the carved heads on Mount Rushmore! Why did it always have to be that way between her and her father? Her mom had always been able to reason with him, she thought. Her mom had been wise, gentle, and had had a sense of humor that was always evident when she was keeping a straight face. Why couldn't she be more like her mother? Sakura agonized. Her dad respected her mom, so he had listened to her. He couldn't respect Sakura, because she thought of her as a baby. Sakura longed for a way to show him how mature, sensible, and grown-up she was.

Instead, she burst into tears. "I'll die if I can't go to the dance with Syaoran!" Sobbing, she ran down the hall to lock herself in the bathroom for what turned out to be the longest shower she had taken in years…

Sakura was annoyed with Tomoyo for having pricked her bubble. "You would have to bring that up. No, I haven't told Syaoran—and I'm not going to. The dance is still two weeks away."

"Yeah, maybe your dad will change his mind," Tomoyo suggested hopefully.

Sakura's frown deepened. "Sure, and maybe it'll snow by lunchtime."

"You never know." Peering into her locker, Tomoyo unearthed a pair of white gym socks. She held them aloft and grinned triumphantly. "See, I even have my mittens handy just in case!"

For some reason, that didn't surprise Sakura one bit.

. . .

Sakura had just settled into the seat Syaoran had saved for her when Mr. Reed began passing out mimeographed scores of the pieces they would be performing in the spring concert.

"As you can see," he said in his rich baritone, "we have our work cut out for the next few weeks. I'll be posting a list of rehearsal times on the bulletin board tomorrow, and I want every one of you"—his eyes swept the room imperiously—"to arrange your schedules accordingly. Understood?"

A ripple of assent swept the room.

"Some of you may have heard a rumor that the concert is to be televised," he continued. "Well…" he paused, smiling, while they all waited in suspense, barely breathing.

"Sadist!" muttered Gabe North, an attractive boy who sat behind Sakura. She recognized him as the president of the Humanities Club.

"I spoke with the people at KPUX this morning, and they told me…" another silence, accompanied by a smile.

"I can't stand it!" said Martha Beal. "What did they say?"

Mr. Reed cleared his throat. "It's on. They've scheduled a camera crew to be here on the twenty-ninth. What do you say? Think we'll be ready for them?"

A chorus of enthusiastic cries was their deafening response.

"Ok, then, let's go down to business. We'll be doing a mixture of classical and pop pieces. An Elizabethan madrigal right on up to 'Oh Happy Day!' The longest, trickiest piece will be Mendelssohn's _Elijah_. I want you to study it thoroughly before we start rehearsing on Tuesday. The library has the record—first come, first serve. Otherwise, we'll be listening to my tape next week…"

As he rattled on, Sakura was struck by the realization that the concert was less than four weeks away. Would she be ready then? She was a novice, and the rest of the group was used to learning difficult music quickly. Panic nibbled at her insides.

Syaoran must have noticed how edgy she looked for he murmured reassuringly, "Relax, Sakura, you'll do just fine. You'll be surprised how easy it is once you get into the swing of it."

She grimaced. "That's what my driver's ed instructor told me."

"I guess you can't win 'em all." He shrugged.

Sakura glanced up to find Mr. Reed glowering at them. "When you two get through chatting, do you think we could get some work done?" he asked.

"Sorry, Mr. Reed, I'm all yours," Syaoran replied unabashedly. As soon as the teacher wasn't looking, he gave Sakura a big wink.

Happiness flooded through her. She knew she would have to tell Syaoran about the dance sooner or later, but right now all she wanted to think about was how happy she was sitting next to him.

. . .

"What you need is a plan of action," counseled Tomoyo as they sat licking their ice cream cones at a tiny, glass-topped table in Baskin-Robbins, where they stopped on their way home from school.

Tomoyo was celebrating the fact that she had lost five pounds by indulging in a double-decker rocky road and Jamoca almond fudge. Sakura was consoling herself with rum pecan, because Syaoran has asked her to go to Baskin-Robbins with him first, and she'd had to turn him down. It was too close to her dad's office, and someone who knew him was bound to see them together. That was the trouble with small towns, she thought. Everybody knew everybody else, so if she and Syaoran started sneaking around behind their parent's backs, they would have about as much chance of not getting noticed as a police raid on the local health club.

"What kind of plan?" asked Sakura suspiciously.

"A way for you and Syaoran to go to the dance—what else?"

"Forget it. I've tried every trick know on Dad. He's not budging."

"Who said anything about budging?"

"If you're suggesting anything sneaky, you can forget that, too. I'd never get away with it."

Tomoyo sighed at Sakura's thickheadedness. "That's why you need a plan, silly."

"And I suppose you just happen to have one all figured out, right?"

"Naturally," Tomoyo caught the last melting drops of ice cream with an expert flick of her tongue. "Oh, don't you see, Sakura? It's really so romantic. Kind of like Romeo and Juliet."

"I hope that doesn't mean we have to end up killing ourselves," Sakura said, sighing.

Tomoyo giggled. "Nothing that drastic, I promise. Actually, I was thinking you could use a front."

"A what?"

"A front. You know, someone who pretends to be someone else. Like in that movie _The Sting_." 

"You want me to sting my father?" Sakura asked incredulously. 

"In a manner of speaking. What you could do is pretend someone else was taking you to the dance—for a small fee this person might even be willing to pick you up at your house."

"Ok, Tomoyo, who is he?" Sakura asked suspiciously.

"Eriol's little brother."

"You've got to be kidding! _He's a freshman!_"

"So? Your dad doesn't have to know about that."

"And he's only about four feet tall!"

Tomoyo was beginning to wilt. "Well—you could always say he has retarded glands."

Suddenly they were both doubled up over the table. Janet Green and Billy Sanchez, who were sitting beside them, looked over at them as if they were crazy.

"I guess I didn't really think it out," Tomoyo admitted when she finally regained her breath.

"If you mean the part about Eriol's little brother—you can say that again," Sakura agreed. "But the stuff about having a plan wasn't half bad. I'll have to think about it—maybe I can come up with something."

. . .

An hour after leaving Tomoyo, Sakura was sprawled on her bed engrossed in a _Reader's Digest_ article entitled "Teen Survival in the Eighties" when the phone rang. It was Syaoran.

"Is the coast clear?" he asked. When she told him her father was still at work, he breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. I was hoping I wouldn't have to wear my Groucho Marx disguise when I come by to pick you up in a few minutes."

"Pick me up? What are you talking about? My dad would kill me."

"Look, Sakura, I know how you feel about doing stuff behind his back. Believe me, I wouldn't ask if it wasn't important. More important than me, that is," he added playfully.

"Syaoran, you are important." She was glad he couldn't see her redden.

"So are you, Sakura," he replied in a husky voice. "This whole thing is stupid. Why do we have to sneak around like a couple of criminals, anyway? It's not like we're doing anything wrong. Oh, forget it—it was a dumb idea for me to call." He sounded frustrated, and she was afraid he'd hang up.

"No, Syaoran, wait. Where—where did you want to go?"

"Just over to Harry Purcell's house—you know him, he's in the choir. Anyway, Harry's got a recording of Elijah—you really flip if you could hear it on the stereo system his dad got hooked up." He paused. "Besides all that, I want to be with you."

Sakura smiled softly, but worry creeped back. "What should I tell my dad?" she asked, chewing absently at her thumbnail. She really wanted to go, but she hated the thought of lying.

"Don't tell him anything. He's not there, so just leave him a note. Tell him the truth—only scratch the part about who you're going with."

"I—I guess I could," she agreed slowly, torn between lying and her longing to be with Syaoran. 

"I'll pick you up in fifteen minutes—now that I've got insurance," he said.

. . .

When they arrived a short while later, they found Harry's living room crowded with kids from the choir. Sakura still felt a little awkward around the group, but that faded as she was greeted warmly by everyone there, and Gabe North moved over to make room for her on the couch. Harry brought them Cokes and passed around a bowl of potato chips.

Syaoran had been right about the stereo system. The sound coming out of the speakers was extremely strong and clear. The system itself was ultramodern, and the components—the speakers, turntable, and amplifier—were amazingly small. Harry's father, she learned, owned Good Vibes, Clinton's largest stereo-TV store, which gave him access to all the latest equipment. Sakura closed her eyes and let the music wash over her. The thought of singing it herself in TV gave her goose bumps.

When it was over, someone put on a Britney Spears album. A throbbing pop beat pulsed from the compact speakers, and before long the living room floor was jammed with gyrating couples. Syaoran grabbed Sakura's hand. "Come on," he yelled over the noise, "let's go somewhere quiet!"

He took her to Good Time's Charlie's, a place downtown where they could talk and wouldn't be too conspicuous. They chose a dark booth near the back, and Syaoran ordered cheeseburgers and fries for both of them. "Sorry you came?" he asked, his hand curling over hers on the tabletop.   

Sakura smiled. "I was just thinking that I wish it could be like this all the time. I really had fun, Syaoran."

"You mean you don't feel guilty anymore?"

"Well—I didn't exactly say that. I just hope my father doesn't find out, that's all." She darted a glance over her shoulder as if she expected to see her father pop up from the next booth at any moment.

"Watch out—there are spies everywhere," Syaoran whispered in a Russian accent, hoping to sound sinister.

Her laughter died suddenly as she saw the well-dressed, middle-aged woman who slid into the adjoining booth. Sakura nearly choked on a french fry. "Oh my God—that's Mrs. Willet," she whispered. "She's my dad's secretary! What am I going to do?"

Syaoran lowered his voice. "Relax. She didn't see you, did she?"

She slumped down until her chin was almost level with the tabletop. Mrs. Willet had disappeared from the view except for a wave of silver cresting the top of the adjoining booth. They were safe right then—but not for long. In order to get to the door, they would have to walk right by her.

Sakura felt her excitement turn to a sour lump in the pit of her stomach. "I should've known something like this would happen," she said sadly.

"Don't panic," Syaoran said. "We haven't blown our cover yet." He motioned the waitress over and in his most charming desperate whisper asked, "Is there another way out of here?"

The girl, who wasn't much older than they, looked both flustered and pleased to be included in the intrigue. "There's a fire exit by the kitchen," she told them. "I'm not really supposed to let anyone use it, but—"

"It's a matter of life and death," Syaoran urged.

"I guess it would be ok." She winked. "Just this once."

Sakura and Syaoran were outside in a flash. Not until they reached his car, parked across the street, did Sakura collapsed to catch her breath. Syaoran wrapped his arms around her, hugging her tightly.

"That was a close call," he said, kissing the top of her head, then bringing his lips down to nuzzle her cheek. "I guess I wasn't really thinking when I talked you into coming."

"It's not your fault, Syaoran. I could have stayed home if I'd really wanted to." At that moment, encircled in his arms and glowing with the warmth of his kisses, she was glad she hadn't.

He tipped her chin back so that her eyes met his searching gaze. "You're not just saying that to make feel better?"

"Really, Syaoran," she murmured, her fingers playing with the golden brown curls that hung over the back of his collar, "I'm not sorry." But before Syaoran could say anything, she drew her body close to his, kissing him lightly on his lips.

_Liar_, she was telling herself at the same time, _I'd be plenty sorry if Mrs. Willet had spotted me._

Next time she had a feeling she wouldn't be so lucky.        

Tbc…

**Tenshi**: Hello, minna-san! There, a nice, quite long chapter for all of you! I really enjoy writing this, especially Tomoyo's character here. Kinda reminds me of myself. Haha! Anyway, those kisses are starting to multiply, ne? *snickers* Did I make you wait? Sorry. As I said in my bio, I **am** savoring my too-short summer vacation. And my head **is** still full of Gravitation and X/1999. Oh my God! I love Yaoi! *cackles* I suppose you know what Yaoi is? Will you hate me for liking Yaoi? @_@ 

**Thanatos**: *shrugs* We won't care anyway if you'll hate us or not. 

**Tenshi**: *pouts* You might not care but I do! I wuv each and every one of them! *glomps you all* Thanks for reviewing! 

**Thanatos**: Riiiiiight… -_-;

**Tenshi**: ^_^ Pardon my aibou, minna. She's ALWAYS like that. She's really a nice person, just kinda cynical. Anyway, on with the reviews!

Miss_K: Um, I think it would be impossible for my story to have 3500+ reviews! *laughs* And yeah, 'Childhood Sweetheart' was quite sad. Whoa, you like Squall, too? I love him! But of course DUO is no. 1! Thanks for reviewing, Kay! 

Suzu: No! Duo is MUCH cuter than Zechs! But I agree that Zechs is cute! And yes, I'm crazy for Kurama, especially when he's in Youko form. Actually, I still have many crushes… but the space is not enough for them *chuckles* Thanks for the review!

SakuraLiForever: Sorry for the wait! And thanks for reviewing!

Alex: Here I am! Here I am!

Silver Wolf Gurl: Yeah, Sakura is very lucky because she has Syaoran-kun! Thank you!

TaRe-ChiBi: WOW! You're from Cebu? And you now live in America? Wai! Hey, maybe I could meet you there… hihihi… I'll be leaving the Philippines, too, this year for Seattle. I mean, it's about time!You know, my mom's in Italy and my dad's in America and they left me here in the Philippines! INJUSTICE! *giggles* I'm sure you're tagalong will come back slowly to you.

Salamat!

Moonearthgurl: There's the chapter! Hope you liked it!

Kanna sagara: Wow! You speak Spanish?! I only know a few words… and even fewer sentences… *sighs* Hope you enjoyed the chapter!

S+S43v3r: Of course I don't like overly mushy stuff!I'll die first before writing an all-fluff story! *dies* YAAAHH!!! Nah, kidding! Thanks for reviewing!

Kitten at heart: Thank you very much!

**Tenshi**: Did I miss anyone? Anyway, thanks again! And sorry again for being late! Promise I'll hasten the next chapter! Ja ne!


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